Air circulating member for a shoe



July 18, 1967 E. KARRAS AIR CIRCULATING MEMBER FOR A SHOE Filed May 2, 1966 United States Patent 3,331,146 AIR QIRCULATING MEMBER FGR A SHOE Elias Karl-as, 4 Elpidos St, Athens, Greece Filed May 2, I966, Ser. No. 546,972 2 Claims. (Cl. 36-3) This invention relates to an air circulating member for a shoe or similar article of personal wear.

While shoes are worn the human feet become uncomfortable, especially in warm weather, because of lack of ventilation for the foot inside the shoe. To overcome this condition it is my object to provide improved means to introduce and circulate air around the foot every time a step is taken.

Another object is to provide an air circulating memher in one assembly that may be inserted in an ordinary shoe, and is ready to function immediately by circulating air for each step the user takes.

A further object is to so construct my invention that it is economical to manufacture and assemble ready for use, and which requires no instruction to the wearer before using it.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and therefore, I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawing, nor to the particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of a shoe with my air circulating member in place therein, the upper portion of the shoe being removed.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shoe with my air circulating member in place therein, the upper portion of the shoe being shown broken away.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of an outlet conduit forming part of said air circulating member.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of an inlet conduit forming part of said air circulating member.

As illustrated, a shoe 10 for a male or female, has the usual sole 12, upper portion 14 and heel 16. Forwardly of, and extending along said heel and sole is an inner, air-circulating member 18. The latter has a hollow, resilient heel portion that is convex-shaped at its upper portion 22, and its bottom portion rests on said heel 16. An air cavity or chamber 24 is provided in said heel portion 20 that is shown in normal or unpressed position in said FIG. 2. A cover 26 covers said upper portion 22 and extends therefrom along the sole, preferably terminating adjacent the toe portion and being cemented in place.

Communicating with said chamber 24, I preferably provide an outlet conduit member 28 that extends through an opening in said heel portion 20 and cover 26. Said conduit 28 is preferably of resilient material and has an integral flap valve 30 that is normally in closed position as indicated in FIG. 5; but which is forced outwardly to open position, as indicated by the dash lines in 0 said FIG. 5, when air from chamber 24 reaches it. T1118 7 outlet conduit 28 extends up the side of the shoe upper 3,331,146 Patented July 18, 1967 portion 14 and may be held there by adhesive tape 32 attached to the inner surface thereof.

An elongate, inlet conduit or tube 34 of rubber or other flexible material communicates with said chamber 24 by entering an opening therein. This tube 34 extends along said cover 26 in a groove 35 provided in the side thereof. Said tube 34 may be held in place by adhesive, and it terminates at the toe portion of the shoe where it has an integral flap valve 36 that is normally in closed position as shown in said FIG. 6. When said valve 36 is opened by air drawn through the end of said tube 34 and into said chamber 24, as the users heel is raised in walking, air fills said chamber. Open position of said valve 36 is shown by dash lines in said FIG. 6.

Normally said chamber 24 is filled with air, as shown in said FIG. 2. As a person walks his weight on said inner member 18 presses air out of said chamber through said outlet tube 28 by forcing said valve 30 outwardly. As he starts the next stride his heel releases the pressure on said inner member 18 and it is restored to normal position, as shown in said FIGS. 2 and 4. Thus air will be drawn into the open end of said inlet tube 34 by moving said valve 36 inwardly as shown in the dash lines in said FIG. 6, thus causing circulating of air within the shoe as it flows to the entrance point of said tube 34.

Said flap valves 36 and 36 may be reversed, and then air would enter through said conduit 28 and be discharged through said conduit 34.

While said inner member 18 may be provided in a shoe when it is manufactured as a part thereof, I have so constructed said member 18 that it may be inserted and used in a shoe already made.

What I claim is:

1. An air circulating member comprising a heel portion having an air chamber, a cover on said heel portion and extending forwardly therefrom, said heel portion and cover having an opening for the escape of air from said chamber, and a conduit communicating with said chamber and extending forwardly along and under said cover and beyond said heel portion and having a valve normally closed and adapted to open when air is drawn into said chamber, and another conduit communicating with said chamber and extending through said cover opening and having a valve normally closed and adapted to open when air is ejected from said chamber.

2. An air circulating member comprising a heel portion having an air chamber, a cover on said heel portion and extending forwardly therefrom, said heel portion and cover having an opening for the escape of air from said chamber, and a conduit communicating with said chamber and extending forwardly along and under said cover and beyond said heel portion and having a valve normally closed and adapted to open when air is drawn into said chamber, said cover having a groove therein at one side extending longitudinally, said conduit extending into said groove.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,660,698 2/1928 Williams 36-6 2,545,062 3/ 1951 Whittington 36-3 3,044,188 7/1962 Evangelista 36-3 3,128,566 4/1964 Burlison et a1 36-3 3,180,039 4/1965 Burns 363 3,225,463 12/1965 Burnham 363 FOREIGN PATENTS 640,720 12/ 193 6 Germany.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN AIR CIRCULATING MEMBER COMPRISING A HEEL PORTION HAVING AN AIR CHAMBER, A COVER ON SAID HEEL PORTION AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID HEEL PORTION AND COVER HAVING AN OPENING FOR THE ESCAPE OF AIR FROM SAID CHAMBER, AND A CONDUIT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY ALONG AND UNDER SAID COVER AND BEYOND SAID HEEL PORTION AND HAVING A VALVE NORMALLY CLOSED AND ADAPTED TO OPEN WHEN AIR IS DRAWN INTO SAID CHAMBER, AND ANOTHER CONDUIT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID 